Like I said, it's semantics.
The correct way to put the phrase would be something along the lines:
"They say that they could potentially create circuits 1/10000th of the size of the circuits created with current technology."
1 time smaller means the size is 100% smaller than the original size, which doesn't means the darn thing ceases to exist (1 - 100% = 0).
Okay, I was wrong in that when you take 100% out of the original size once, you have nothing left, which means that taking the rest 9,999 times that 100% out of the original size (of which nothing is left anymore), we still have nothing. In other words, the size would not go to negative scale.
You *CAN NOT* make stuff 10000 times smaller than something else. Why? Let me explain.
1. You have 1 dollar and your uncle Bob has none. You feel sorry for him and you decide to give 1 time that amount to your uncle. So, how much do you give your uncle? 1 dollar, leaving you with nothing left.
2. You have 10 dollars and your uncle Bob has none (he's a gambling addict, you know). Once again you feel sorry for him (damnit you're soft!) and decide to give him 1 time that amount. How much do you give him? 10 dollars, once again leaving you with empty pockets, except for the gum you accidentally stuck there and get off the garment.
3. You have 10 dollars and your uncle Bob once again has nothing (he's an alcoholic, too) and you decide to give him two times that. In this case you'll give your 10 bucks to your dear, beloved uncle and - after that - still owe him another 10 bucks. In other words, you gave it all away and ended up with negative total.
Get it?
1 time smaller/slower/less leaves you with ZERO.
Thus, making something 10,000 times smaller than something else makes the end result's size 9,999 times the original size, ON A NEGATIVE SIZE-SCALE!
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Ack, remove the word "doesn't" where it doesn't belong in the previous posting.
Wrong.
Like I said, it's semantics.
The correct way to put the phrase would be something along the lines:
"They say that they could potentially create circuits 1/10000th of the size of the circuits created with current technology."
1 time smaller means the size is 100% smaller than the original size, which doesn't means the darn thing ceases to exist (1 - 100% = 0).
Okay, I was wrong in that when you take 100% out of the original size once, you have nothing left, which means that taking the rest 9,999 times that 100% out of the original size (of which nothing is left anymore), we still have nothing. In other words, the size would not go to negative scale.
Damnit!
You *CAN NOT* make stuff 10000 times smaller than something else. Why? Let me explain.
1. You have 1 dollar and your uncle Bob has none. You feel sorry for him and you decide to give 1 time that amount to your uncle. So, how much do you give your uncle? 1 dollar, leaving you with nothing left.
2. You have 10 dollars and your uncle Bob has none (he's a gambling addict, you know). Once again you feel sorry for him (damnit you're soft!) and decide to give him 1 time that amount. How much do you give him? 10 dollars, once again leaving you with empty pockets, except for the gum you accidentally stuck there and get off the garment.
3. You have 10 dollars and your uncle Bob once again has nothing (he's an alcoholic, too) and you decide to give him two times that. In this case you'll give your 10 bucks to your dear, beloved uncle and - after that - still owe him another 10 bucks. In other words, you gave it all away and ended up with negative total.
Get it?
1 time smaller/slower/less leaves you with ZERO.
Thus, making something 10,000 times smaller than something else makes the end result's size 9,999 times the original size, ON A NEGATIVE SIZE-SCALE!